Then the king's servants, which [were] in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
Ver. 3. Then the king's servants, &c.] See Esther 3:2 .
Said unto Mordecai] Tempting his piety and constancy not once, but often, alleging the king's commandment, together with his aloneness in refusing to obey it, Haman's power, displeasure, &c. Thus they presented to Mordecai both irritamenta and terriculamenta, i.e. allurements and frightenments, according to that of the apostle, Hebrews 11:37, they were tempted on both hands, but all in vain. Sapientis virtus, per ea quibus petitur, illustratur. The virtue of wisdom is shown by means of desiring these things. This constancy wicked men call obstinacy, but they speak evil of what they know not, viz. the power of the Spirit, and the privy armour of proof, that the saints have about their hearts.
Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?] Right or wrong, it matters not with many, if the king or state have commanded a thing, done it must be. But what said that martyr to the Popish bishop, pressing him with this argument, and affirming that the king's laws must be obeyed, whether they agree with the word of God or not, yea, though the king were an infidel? If Shadrach, Mesheeh, and Abednego had been of your mind, my lord (said Roger Coo, martyr), Nebuchadnezzar had not confessed the living God. True it is that we must give unto Caesar the things that are Caesar's. But in addition, we must see to it that we give unto God the things that are God's, Matthew 22:21, where the three articles used in the original are very emphatical, τα του Yρου τω Yεω. And it is a saying of Chrysostom, If Caesar will take to himself God's part, by commanding that which is sinful, to pay him such a tribute is not tributum Caesaris, but servitium diaboli, an observing of Caesar, but a serving of the devil.